WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is to meet in private Friday with a high-profile issue on its agenda — President Donald Trump ’s birthright citizenship order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.
The justices could say as soon as Monday whether they will hear Trump’s appeal of lower court rulings that have uniformly struck down the citizenship restrictions. They have not taken effect anywhere in the United States.
If the court steps in now, the case would be argued in the spring, with a definitive ruling expected by early summer.
The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed on the first day of his second term, is part of his administration’s broad immigration crackdown, including an enforcement surge in various cities.
Lower courts have consistently ruled against the order, with all decisions suggesting that it likely violates the 14th Amendment, which historically has conferred citizenship to anyone born on American soil. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argues that this order is critical for border security and emphasizes the constitutional arguments for the appeal.
The legal community, notably led by the American Civil Liberties Union, remains poised to challenge the appeal, citing its weak legal grounding.
